Pretty Woman: The Musical to Open on Broadway in 2018

With Music from Bryan Adams.
- byDave Quinn

Sep
2017

He helped bring both Legally Blonde and Kinky Boots to the stage. And now director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell is setting his sites on one of the most beloved romantic comedies of all time: Pretty Woman.

The 1990 Garry Marshall rom-com, which starredJulia RobertsandRichard Gereas a prostitute and the man who hires and falls in love with her (respectively), will jump from the big screen to Broadway — opening as a musical in the fall of 2018 in a Nederlander Theater to be announced.

When it does it’ll come with an original score from “(Everything I Do) I Do It For You” singer Bryan Adams and Adams’ longtime songwriting partner Jim Vallance (their previous collaborations include on “Summer of ’69” and “Heaven”).

Though he’s since passed away, Marshall collaborated with original screenwriter J.F. Lawton on the musical’s book.

Samantha Barks will step into the role of Vivian played by Roberts in the film. The actress, who had a breakout role as Éponine in the 2012 Les Misérables film, will make her Broadway debut with the role.

By her side will be Tony winner Steve Kazee, who was last on Broadway in 2012’s Once and has been seen since on the small screen in Shamlessand Nashville.

Prior to Broadway, Pretty Woman: The Musicalwill play a limited 5-week out-of-town tryout engagement at Chicago’s Oriental Theatre in the spring of 2018. Performances there begin March 13, 2018.

“From the first time I saw this magical movie I felt it cried out to be a musical,” Mitchell said in a statement. “Pretty Woman is a classic story with a very contemporary message. I think we all want to fall deeply in love with someone — it is something you never stop hoping for.”

“I got to work with Garry for over a year on this musical adaptation and experienced firsthand his sense of humor, his joy, his uplifting attitude in life, and mostly his love for these characters,” he continued. “I want that to infuse what I am doing withPretty Woman: The Musical as he is the true heart of this story.”